Nearly 70% of travelers who have tried renting both ways prefer the peace of mind that comes with renting from a professional manager over renting directly from an owner

The arrival of spring kicks summer vacation planning into high gear – for many that means finding a vacation rental. Before booking that dream vacation home, travelers need to think twice about who they rent from as it makes a big difference when it comes to safety, service and peace-of-mind according to a new survey from Wyndham Vacation Rentals.

Nearly 90 percent of do-it-yourself hosts secretly dread doing the things needed to deliver a great vacation experience – dealing with guests, handling inspections and cleaning the house. As a result, nearly 70 percent of travelers who have tried both would prefer to rent from a professional management company as opposed to an owner during their next stay.

Stranger Danger: Rental Guests Book with Caution

The private space and home-like amenities of vacation rentals have strong appeal - 89 percent of those who never tried a rental would consider doing so - but tales of vacation rentals gone bad when booking directly with a homeowner weigh on renters’ minds.

Thursday, February 4, 2016

World’s largest professional manager of vacation rentals offers properties in TripAdvisor’s top three Travelers’ Choice Destinations on the Rise for 2016

Wyndham Vacation Rentals, the world’s largest professional manager of vacation rental properties and part of the Wyndham Worldwide family of brands (NYSE: WYN), today announced that it offers more than 1,700 vacation rental accommodations in the top three destinations on TripAdvisor’s list of Travelers’ Choice Destinations on the Rise for 2016. TripAdvisor’s ranking is based on the year-over-year increase in positive feedback and booking interest on the site.

“We’re excited to see three of our destinations top TripAdvisor’s Travelers’ Choice Destinations on the Rise for 2016,” said Mary Lynn Clark, president, Wyndham Vacation Rentals North America. “As travelers continue to discover these hidden gems, vacation rental accommodations can give them the authentic experience they’re looking for along with added space and privacy.”

Monday, February 1, 2016

Study finds 10 percent increase from last year in number of non-skiers taking ski or snowboard vacations with family and friends

More non-skiers are visiting the slopes this ski season, and they’ve got opinions on where to stay. This year, nearly one in three non-skiers said they join their skiing and snowboarding friends and family on ski vacations, up from one in five last year. Eighty-two percent prefer to stay in a vacation rental when tagging along. These are among the findings of a recent study* of more than 9,000 skiers, snowboarders and non-skiers conducted by Wyndham Vacation Rentals, the world’s largest professional manager of vacation rental properties and part of the Wyndham Worldwide family of brands (NYSE: WYN).

The study shows each party tends to agree when it comes to lodging for a ski vacation, with 84 percent of both skiers and snowboarders also preferring vacation rentals. This preference has strengthened from last year when 77 percent of skiers and snowboarders reported a preference for vacation rentals.

Tuesday, December 1, 2015

Booking.com, the global leader in connecting travelers with the widest choice of incredible places to stay, and Wyndham Vacation Rentals, the world’s largest professional manager of vacation rental properties with over 105,000 properties spread across more than 550 destinations, have announced a new worldwide distribution agreement. Through this arrangement, Wyndham’s global portfolio of vacation rental brands, including Landal GreenParks, NOVASOL, Hoseasons, cottages.com and Wyndham Vacation Rentals North America, will now be able to utilize the Booking.com website and mobile apps as distribution channels for their properties.

Tuesday, November 24, 2015

Get up to 40 percent off* stays in some of the U.S.’s best ski, mountain and beach destinations

Save on the gift of travel — or a trip for yourself! Wyndham Vacation Rentals, the world’s largest professional manager of vacation rental properties and part of the Wyndham Worldwide family of brands (NYSE: WYN), is offering up to 40 percent off select rental accommodations with its Cyber Monday sale. Starting midnight EST on November 30, 2015, the sale gives shoppers a chance to snag major savings in some of the country’s most popular vacation destinations.

The study shows the kitchen is a major stress reliever, with 94 percent of vacation rental travelers agreeing that having one on vacation reduced their stress level. Of those travelers, 73 percent attributed the lower stress to being able to save money. On average, vacation rental travelers report having saved $742 over the course of a week by preparing some meals in their rental. They tend to prepare an average of 12 meals during a week-long stay, including breakfast five times, lunch four times and dinner three times.

Monday, June 15, 2015

Nearly 90 percent plan on taking a summer road trip – and the majority are willing to drive farther than you’d think

Vacation rental travelers are in it for the long haul. The nearly 90 percent who plan on hitting the road this summer will spend an average of 12.3 hours driving to their vacation destination. These are among the findings of a recent study* of more than 11,000 vacation rental travelers conducted by Wyndham Vacation Rentals, the world’s largest professional manager of vacation rental properties and part of the Wyndham Worldwide family of brands (NYSE: WYN).

As might be expected, the study also found that men tend to take the wheel on road trips. However, the actual disparity between genders is steep. Nearly four in five men (79%) say they drive on a road trip compared to just one in five women (23%). Perhaps more surprising, women are the more aggressive road trippers. They’re more likely to describe their driving style as “Pedal to the Metal” (49% vs. 41%) while men are more willing to take the “Long & Leisurely” route (29% vs. 21%).

“A travel tradition that may have once been seen as a means to an end actually holds much more reverence among vacation rental travelers today,” said Mary Lynn Clark, president, Wyndham Vacation Rentals North America. “They’re a unique group who often travel with larger parties and appreciate spending as much time as they can with each other, whether it’s on the road or vacationing together under one roof.”

Other findings show that food plays an important part in the road trip.
Vacation rental travelers can be very particular when it comes to snacks for the ride, even making unique and specific choices like egg and lobster sandwiches or summer sausage with squirt cheese. When it comes to choosing between food groups, here’s where they stand:

•They try to snack healthy in the car. When picking their favorite road trip snack or beverage, only 4% of vacation rental travelers cite fast food as their top choice. 26% prefer healthier options like nuts, seeds and trail mix.

•Where you live might affect your choice. Vacation rental travelers from the Pittsburgh, PA metro area have the biggest sweet tooth, while those near Cleveland-Akron, Ohio are more likely to crave something salty. Tampa-St. Pete, Florida and Denver, Colorado tie for the most health-minded vacation rental travelers, while those from Los Angeles, CA are most likely to be found in the drive-thru.

Part of the fun is getting there.
Surprisingly, most vacation rental travelers don’t really get annoyed by things like talking too much or playing “I-Spy.” However, when they start to get agitated, here’s what sets them off:

•Men and women clash on car-ride fun. Men are less appreciative of aspiring singers with 35% finding singing or humming moderately to extremely annoying compared to just 25% of women. Women are more likely to roll their eyes at steering wheel drumming with 26% finding it very to extremely annoying (compared to 18% of men).